Device for handling invalids.



No. 852,280. PATENTED APR. 30, 1907. W. N. MASON.

DEVICE FOR HANDLING INVALIDS.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 18, 1906.

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w. N. MASON. DEVICE FOR HANDLING INVALIDS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1906.

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WVALLACE N. MASON, OF RlCI-IBURG, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR HANDLING lNVALlDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed June 18,1906. Serial No. 322,231.

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Be it known that 1 WALLACE N Mason, a citizen of the United States,residing at Richburg, in the county of Allegarr, and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Handlinginvalids, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for moving a disabled person upon, or froma bed or couch with the least possible arring or discomfort to thepatient. It is adapted for turning the patient partly 'or entirely over;or for drawing him bodily toward the head end of the bed, upon thepillow; or for lifting hirn upward above the bed sulliciently to changethe bed clothing, or .for the use of a vessel, or to such a height aswill permit the removal of the bed-stead and the substitution of anotherbed or of a couch. He may also, if desired, be lowered to a meremattress or to the floor.

This machine is not a bed, or any part of one, but may be used tosupport the patient, hammock like, with great comfort, independently ofa bed stead. The device is portable being constructed for folding into asmall compass, so that a man can easily carry it. It can be manufacturedat a cost so small that every physician may own one or more. F orhospitals and sanitariums its value is beyond computation.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the device, its various featuresbeing referred to by letters, similar letters indicating correspondingparts in the several views.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device partly brokenaway, in operative position about a bedstead. Fig. 2 is a head-endelevation with the bedstead removed. and the sides rather closelyadjusted. Fig. 3 shows the back supporting device when raised to anapproximately vertical position, and viewed from the head end of thebed. The canvas is shown fragmentarily and one of the pockets is partlybroken away to expose the leg therein. Fig. 4i is a view of a post andcross bar as seen in Fig. 2 but folded up. and Fig. 5 shows the mainroller E divested of canvas and folded up.

The reference letter A designates a post or standard of the supportingframe, of which there are four, all substantially alike, and eachprovided with a foot piece a. Each post is made vertically adjustable byany preferred means: it is shown in the drawing to be made in twosections one sliding vertically upon the other, and maintained incontact by hands a on one section and embracing the other section. Asupporting loop it on one section is adapted to engage notches e on theother section, and a set screw 0 binds the two sections adjustablytogether.

E ch standard is attached, at is upper end, to a cross-bar which is madein two sections. These sections are lu'irizontally adjustable in beingmovable upon each other, and are maintained in mutualcontact by bandsI), b. Two standards and their connecting cross-bar constitute a frame;and in order to render these frames conveniently portable, each standardis jointed to its cross-bar, preferably, by a hinge I) at the innerangle thereof, and an external angular plate I) fixed on the bar isprovided with a set screw 1/ for attachment to the standard Bearings l),l), on the cross-bars B, are provided for the main rollers I); saidrollers having recesses c near their ends, to engage said bearings 1).These rollers may be made rigid, or be jointed by having a hinge a onone side, and opposite thereto a plate 6 held by set screws 0, or by anyother preferred means. Pins F on these rollers engage holes at theopposite edges of a canvas or cloth G, so that by means of a crank c thecanvas may be wound upon said rollers. The canvas may be of any desiredlength, and a pin 7* adapted to engage a hole r in the cross bar isprovided to prevent premature reverse movement of the crank.

As thus described the device is adapted for all ordinary purposes, butin order to bring the patient to a sitting posture, l have provided aback support, formed of a "frame, comprising a cross-bar i and two legs1, connected therewith. These legs lit into pockets l'l, formed on theunder side of the canvas G and which open, under its edge, at the headend of the bed, with their bottoms extended toward the foot of the bed.The upper end of each leg has an extension 'i of reduced diameter, whichlits into a loop i on the cross bar and extends beyond it sullicicntlyto engage loops K on cords 7;, which reach to the foot end of the deviceand are connected to a roller L supported in bearings m attached to thecross bar B. By means of the crank 'n on said roller the cords arcwoundupon the roller L and the back-supporting frame I, i is brought tothe desired position.

Patients frequently work down toward the foot of the bed, and in orderto draw them up upon the pillow I have provided bearings 0 on the crossbar at the head end of the device which support a roller P having acrank 2). Holding pins on this roller engage holes in the end of a stripof canvas R. By turning a roller E the patient is turned upon his sideand the canvas R is laid upon the bed. He is then turned back upon thiscanvas, Which is then drawn toward the head end of the bed by the crankp, which also lifts his head and shoulders upon the pillow.

The pillow, in Fig. 1, is shown to be at the same end of the device asthe cranks e but it may be put at the opposite end if desired, in whichcase the roller L must be placed in the bearings o. It should be notedthatthe short rollers L and P, are reversible as to their ends, and arealso exchangeable with each other. And this is true also of the mainrollers E, E.

Having now described the invention and the manner of using it, what Iclaim and desire to secure is l. A device for handling invalidscomprising two frames, each frame composed of two standards and crossbars thereon, a hinge at the inner angle formed by said standard andsaid cross bar and an angular plate on the outer parts of said standardand cross bar,

said plate being secured to said cross bar and detachably attached tosaid standard by a set screw as stated.

2. In a device for handling invalids formed of a supporting framecomposed of standards, cross-bars, and rollers having a lifting canvasthereon, bearings m on a cross-bar B, a cordroller L provided with acrank in said bearings m, cords on said roller L having terminal loops,a back support attached to said canvas at the side farthest from saidcord-roller, and means on said back support to engage the loops on saidcords, as herein set forth.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination With asupporting frame composed of standards, cross-bars and rollers with acanvas G thereon, of bearings 0 on one of said crossbars, a roller P insaid bearings 0, a crank on said roller P, and a strip of canvas R,having one end attached to said roller P and its other end unattached,said canvas B being adapted to be laid upon said canvas G, for thepurpose specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

WALLACE N. MASON.

